I think it has been said by all sorts of maritime authorities, but just for the record: Let’s all stop sailing in and around the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, shall we? I don’t mean to be insensitive; the tragic execution of the four Americans last week made me sick to my stomach. But this seems to be a dangerous area can we all agree? There are packs of pirates with nothing better to do than board ships and take hostages to negotiate for ransoms. With all this information, I am having a particularly difficult time understanding the logic of the most recent victims of the Somali pirates. They brought their three children with them on this ill-advised odyssey.
I am not a fan of sailing in general so you have pretty much lost me from the start. If I did develop an affinity for sailing, I can guarantee you that pirate infested waters would not be part of my route. Maybe there is the thought that if we don’t go there, the pirates win. I am not pro-pirate, unless we are talking about the patch-wearing parrot carrying Disney version, but I say let ‘em win this one.
This adventure seeking Danish family, who in my mind should be home making wooden shoes or windmills, went so far as to blog that they had “a plan” should they be boarded. Hmmm. And their plan was based on their experiences with which pirates? And the pirates have what to lose? Well sadly as it turned out even the best laid plan didn’t protect them and… well you know the rest.
My point or rather my question is why would you put your family at risk for a sailing trip? In what mindset do you plan an expedition on which you might run into folks who could potentially cause you and your children harm? What possible reason could there be to need “a plan” should you be boarded? What were these people thinking?
I pray that they come out of this unharmed and that their children are somehow sheltered from what must be a terrifying ordeal. I also pray that their poor choice serves as a warning to other naïve adventure seekers. Climb mountains, hike canyons, go white water rafting, go to Nordstrom during their semi annual shoe sale; there are plenty of adventures that don’t have danger and ransom associated with them (except for maybe the shoe sale at Nordstom).